Vita Vinum Est
by Litotesmine
Summary: As everyone around him strives to feel love in all its diverse expressions, Gian Luigi Orsini continues to seek and find solace in silence. Some say it's simply not his way to openly love, or that he's too inhuman for such emotions. But when fate brings a young woman back from his earliest past, maybe even the most aloof and dispassionate of men can experience a change of heart.
1. Chapter 1 - Pétrus Pomerol

**Vita Vinum Est**

_Chapter 1: Pétrus Pomerol_

_Author's Note:_ This story has been brewing in my mind for a long while now. I have watched and rewatched _Ristorante Paradiso_ countless times, and though the initial idea of the story arose after the first viewing, I've always put off writing it down - perhaps because the idea has become so near and dear to my heart. Ironically, I'm finally putting idea into action at what could be considered the busiest and most crucial time of my life/career - but somehow, just like how the Ristorante becomes a soothing presence for all who dwell within its walls, the writing of this story, which continues to beckon and inspire me, has become an activity of true rest that soothes my heart and soul.

An important detail: I have read Ms. Ono's original work, and understand that her original intended ages for the characters are much older than the show made it out to be. For example, Claudio would be in his fifties, and Gigi (who was supposed to be the oldest character), at least in his mid-sixties. I think the directors and artists felt the need to lower these numbers somewhat as well, so that the message of ageless love can still be delivered without the cringe factor of having the heroine date someone who could be her grandfather. In the last episode, a random market stall owner remarks that Claudio might be her (Nicoletta's) father, which to me, is a good enough age gap for the purposes of their story.

After all that, the point is I will be following the ages of the characters as they _appear _(regardless of what they may say to follow the script-books) to be in the show - and not verbatim courtesy Ms. Ono. I'm usually very faithful to canon, but this one is an important exception that to me, _must _be made. Nicoletta is 21 - that is a certainty. This puts Olga at a minimum of early forties. Claudio looks to be older, say middle forties. Old man Luciano is in his mid to late fifties. Gigi simply cannot be the oldest. I insist. Bah to the Ono script-books. Darling Gigi cannot, for the sake of this story, be so much older than Claudio.

And with that in mind, let the story begin.

* * *

_This __mysterious restaurant is on a road just a little ways from the center of Rome... _

Perhaps it was the scent of springtime flowers, or maybe the arrival of fresh seasonal vegetables which heralded their new spring menu, or maybe it was the feeling of being accepted and recognized for the first time in her life by those around her - or most likely, just the sight of his finger finally free of the silver band that had chained him from her all this time. Perhaps it was all of these things combined, but somehow, Nicoletta felt for the first time in a long time that life was what it should be, and she was alright.

"You know, the first time I walked through this street, I thought God was playing a cruel trick with me." Claudio blinked down at the red-head beside him, and wondered whether to ask or wait for her to continue. She did, regardless. "Bear street. Casetta dell'Orso. What is this? I thought. Just when I'd finally come out of my childhood in the country."

Nicoletta smiled. "And then, when I walked into the restaurant, imagine my surprise! I felt as if I'd walked into another world. And that's when I met you, and I knew I had indeed walked into another world. My mother's world - which became my own new world."

"And what are your impressions now of this new world?" Claudio asked softly. Nicoletta lifted her eyes to meet his. "I love every part of it, so much I could die." She pushed open the door to the restaurant, labeled closed, and walked in, leaving the older man slightly taken back.

"You two sure took your sweet time, hn?" Lorenzo grumbled, frowning. Several heads peeked out of the back kitchen entrance. "What did you expect, Lorenzo? Sending those two off together is asking for trouble." Vito bellowed, walking out to greet them. Their snickers and chuckles caused both Nicoletta and Claudio to blush. "N-no, please don't- it's not like that." The head waiter began in earnest protest, as the girl beside him nearly ran into the kitchen in embarrassment. He stopped at this, and sighed pathetically. "Everyone can tell you guys have reached the rapidly developing stages of your relationship. There's no need for shame, we're just happy for you two." Vito laughed, and smacked Claudio across the back several times.

"Y-yes.. thank you. But I'm still.. taking things slow."

"That, you are." Luciano grimaced, as the trio walked into the staff dining and resting area.

As they all settled down to their communal meal to enjoy the good food and better wine, the sound of sudden footsteps unusual to this hour approached the door. When it opened to reveal the shaggy dark head of Lorenzo Orsini, even Gigi's fork stopped midway between his plate and mouth.

"Lorenzo! What are you doing here?" Nicoletta started in surprise. "Is it Olga-"

"No, no, don't worry. I'm sorry to disturb your lunch. I just needed to talk to Gigi about something." He smiled to his older brother, who peered at him out of his spectacles, and swallowing the last of his lamb, stood silently and walked out of the room. For several moments, nobody spoke as all ears pricked up to catch some of the two brothers conversation. When this turned out to be an exercise in futility, Nicoletta sighed and decided to speak out as it was expected of her.

"What do you think that's all about? He could have just called if it was something important. Why come all the way here just to talk to him?"

"You should ask Gigi when he comes back - ah, speak of the devil." Furio smiled warmly and offered to refill the sommelier's plate. He nodded, and sat back down to resume eating from another plate. Five pairs of eyes watched him closely, but the man seemed not to have noticed - or took pains to act so.

Teo scratched at his head idly. "What was that about?" He asked in a casual manner as if solely to make conversation than out of his own curiosity. Gigi didn't reply for some time, until Furio returned with a plate of cured meats which he accepted openly. He tasted one, and then nodded. "There is a special guest coming tonight."

"EH?!" The others looked at each other.

"But, we're fully booked for the night." Claudio said, looking perplexed. Luciano frowned in disapproval. "Is that why Lorenzo came here?"

Gigi nodded. "He is going to pick her up from the airport." For some reason, Nicoletta thought she saw a hint of something strange in the way he said this, and watched the usually silent and taciturn man closely.

"Well, this means we'll have to cancel one of our appointments." Gigi raised his eyes to look at Vito, and then shook his head. "What? Don't tell me she'll be eating with us?" He nodded. "Maan, now I'm really curious about who this mystery person is." Gigi looked at the empty bottle of wine that had gone down with their meal, and then stood up and left.

Nicoletta watched him quietly, and then nudged Claudio. "Do you think he was a bit weird today - even for him?" Claudio raised his eyebrows at her remark, but upon seeing that she was serious, took a few seconds to think over their conversation. He blinked. "Huh... it is strange. He didn't finish his food." Even as he said it himself, Claudio felt himself grow more bewildered. In all the years he's known the man, Gigi had never wasted good food.

"I can't wait to meet this person." Nicoletta whispered to him. "I think - no, I'm sure of it ... this person is very special to him."

* * *

It seemed as if everyone had caught the curiosity bug that night. Heads turned and peered out of the kitchen at the sound of every customer that entered through the front doors. But even as the evening wore on, there was no sign of the owner nor his mysterious guest. The only ones who seemed completely aloof to the charged atmosphere were Gigi himself, and Claudio, who continued with his genteel manner perfectly at ease as always. It was only when Nicoletta had lost all hope as the last patron had long gone, and the group was once again gathered in the staff resting area that faint murmurs of conversation were heard, quiet at first, but slowly increasing in volume as they accompanied sounds of footsteps that paused in the outer hallway.

Their conversation was cut short as Lorenzo swung open the door, eyes widening at the full assembly before him. "Oh!" He chuckled. "Sorry, I should make the introductions." He took a few steps forward, and then turned sideways slightly to reveal an extraordinary looking being wrapped in a parka and what seemed to be several scarfs so it was impossible to tell the appearance behind the heavy clothing. The person shuffled forward somewhat awkwardly, adjusting the right shoulder strap of a hiker's backpack. The image was so startling and ill fitted to the ambiance of the entire restaurant and the other individuals present that for a few moments, nobody spoke. Gathering himself with a cough, Lorenzo scratched at his beard with a small smile, and gently tugged down the hood of the parka. "This, is Eloisa. The daughter of an old friend of my father's."

Everyone turned suddenly to stare at Nicoletta, who also felt the shiver of deja-vu. _Daughter of a friend? _So far, judging from the dark wavy locks of hair, and deep brown eyes that were oh-so-similar in color to the owners' - she could be much, much more than just that. Many pairs of eyes watched closely as the young woman unwrapped layer after layer of scarves, until a fine bundle lay on the table before her. A sigh of ease was shared between them as the face of a woman of about thirty emerged triumphantly to grin at them. It was a smile that immediately dispelled any thoughts that she may have had Orsini blood flowing in her veins. Her eyes, although as dark as those of the Orsini brothers, held a glint of caramel which shone mischievously when she smiled - a smile in a manner quite unlike the calm and easy-going manner of the two older men.

"Hello, please call me Lanza as I'm afraid no part of my full name escapes the pedantic." She said sheepishly.

"These are our camerieres Luciano, Claudio, Vito, our dessert chef Teo, our main chef Furio, our apprentice Nicoletta - and well, you already know Gigi." Eloisa's mouth opened slightly, as if in surprise, and then a completely incongruous expression of shyness overtook her features.

"Where do you come from, Eloisa- or Lanza as you like?" Vito asked warmly. "Why do you not like Eloisa? It is a fine name for a maiden."

Luciano pressed his forehead into his palm in exasperation at his exuberant words just as Lorenzo nudged the young woman to sit. The others brought over extra plates of food for the newcomers, and settled down again. "Oh er, I've been travelling for some time. I was once the Lorenzo's neighbor. And it's not that I dislike that part of my name - it's just, well, all of it together is a bit much." She took a bite out of her plate, and gasped. "Woa! This is really good!"

Furio laughed. "We're humbled by such compliments from someone who's tasted her fair share of the world gastronomy. But anyway, you know, we've got a pretty wonderful name here too, I don't think anyone's ever topped it." He winked at Claudio, who flinched nervously. Eloisa watched his reaction, and gave him a lopsided smile. "My full name is Volante Eloisa Faustio. Reminds one of 'lying, stealing and pacts with the devil.'"

"Ah, then it's perfect. Claudio's full name is actually Santo Claudio Paradiso. He is your saving angel then, Miss. Faustus." They all laughed at this.

Nicoletta had been observing the woman before them carefully. Upon her first self introduction, Nicoletta had taken a liking to her immediately. The woman before them, although older than her by several years, seemed not nearly as worldly or experienced as she expected of someone who had been travelling without settle for long. The others warmed up to her quickly, and soon, they were caught in wonderful stories of travel, great food, and exotic places. Nicoletta thought she had a childlike candor to her that people liked - there was no pretense or hidden meaning behind her words, and not for the first time that evening, she wondered how someone like her had gotten to befriend the Orsini brothers - and especially one taciturn sommelier.

"So what brings you to this part of the world? Recovering lost adventures back at home?" Teo asked sipping his wine.

"Well, actually I'm thinking of revisiting my roots - the winery business. But to dig up such a buried past, I need some help."

"Ah, so you're a wine enthusiast too?" Eloisa paused, and looked up guiltily. "Actually, no. I'm er.. what you would call alcohol intolerant."

"EH?! Then why-" Nicoletta's eyes widened. "Ah! Is that why Gigi has never poured you a glass of wine?" The others turned to look at the silent man. Lorenzo smiled. "Eloisa first met Gigi when he began coming to the vineyard. She was only six years old, but somehow, they became very good friends. Isn't that right?" A dark red spread upon her cheeks at the mention of this, and Eloisa quickly coughed to cover up her embarrassment. "He hasn't changed at all."

"Does this mean you'll be staying in Rome indefinitely for the next while, Lanza?" Nicoletta asked. The woman nodded. "Yeah - I think it's about time I took care of some things back home. My family had been very close with Lorenzo's back in the day, and apart from him, I don't know who else could help me."

"So you're staying at the vineyard?"

"No, no - I'm looking for a place to settle in Rome. I don't think I can stand going back all at once after all these years." She trailed off.

Nicoletta brightened. "Ah! There's an empty apartment flat next to mine. It's a bit smaller - but I would think less expensive - and very convenient. I can show it to you if you like!" The others looked at her in surprise. "Or, if you just arrived from the airport, I understand how hectic everything must be. You can stay at my place for the night, and I'll talk to the landlady about it tomorrow!"

"Really? Actually, I was planning to spend tonight in a hotel-"

"You shouldn't wander around by yourself - it's very easy to get lost in this city initially. I think Nicoletta's idea is wonderful." Claudio smiled, causing Nicoletta to blush in satisfaction. "Well, then, in that case, let's get going! Is your luggage outside?"

Eloisa stared at the impulsive red head before her, and then turned to Lorenzo. "Is this okay?" He laughed at her worried expression and nodded. "It will be fine, I'm sure. She is, after all, Olga's daughter. They share the same spirit."

"That's right! You told me when we came here - I really wanted to see your beautiful wife. Well then," Eloisa stood up with an awkward shuffle, and gave everyone a sheepish grin. "I'm sure we'll meet again." She began re-wrapping her scarves, as Nicoletta and Lorenzo headed out the door to prepare.

Teo and Vito stood up as well, and put on their jackets. "We'll be going too." Just as they prepared to leave, Eloisa paused by the door, and then after a moments hesitation turned back and took off her backpack. She unzipped the topmost pocket, and then got out a bottle wrapped in dark blue silk with a burgundy ribbon adorned. "For you." She said quickly, and pushed it toward Gigi, who stared at the bottle, and then slowly turned to peer at the young woman before him behind his half-rimmed glasses. As soon as he nodded, she hurried away out the door again.

Furio and Claudio peered at the bottle in curiosity. "It looks very fancy."

Luciano sighed, and got up to stretch. "Are you going to open it or just look at the wrapping?" Gigi examined the present for a moment longer, before finally reaching out and pulling apart the ribbon. The silk fell off the bottle seductively as if a glossy skin, and what it revealed underneath caused all four men to stand in surprise and lean in to take a closer look.

Luciano was the first to gasp softly, followed by Furio who low whistled in admiration. "Man, oh man."

"Is it... is it really-" Claudio broke off as he slipped on his glasses. "A_ Pétrus Pomerol_." Luciano finished for him. Without a word, Gigi took up the bottle carefully, and held it up to the light. A deep sea of dark maroon was caught by the light, and reflected of his eyes. He sighed, and wrapped the bottle up in its silk covering once again, much to the others' disappointment.

"How much is a bottle like that worth? Ten grand? More? Ah, I bet it's going in his private collection for sure. Just, when and if you ever do open it, could you let me sample a drop?" Furio smiled.

Gigi looked at him as if in serious contemplation, and then nodded.

"She must really respect you to have gotten something like that. It isn't everyday that one can even chance upon a Pétrus." Luciano mused.

"Maybe it's her way of saying thanks - and hello again." Claudio smiled. The sommelier looked at the rare bottle, and did not reply.


	2. Chapter 2 - Aud Lang Syne

**Vita Vinum Est**

_Chapter 2: Aud Lang Syne_

_Author's Note: _The song Aud Lang Syne, translated as "long time ago" has opening lyrics which beseech us to recall old memories.

_Should old acquaintance be forgot,_  
_ and never brought to mind?_  
_Should old acquaintance be forgot,_  
_ and aud lang syne ?_

Some inspiration for this chapter.

Oh, one last thing, Faustio is a play on Faustino, as in Faustino Wines/Winery. Some thought was indeed put into this mess...

On with the show.

* * *

Eloisa watched the bright red kettle slowly come to life on the stove, until little streams of gas escaped its nozzle, rapidly increasing in pace and audibility. Nicoletta caught the switch just when the whistle of her kettle became unbearable, and poured its contents into two large brimmed cozy teacups. She hummed as she worked, slicing light honey cake into squares. Eloisa smiled at her efficient hands, and the way she navigated her modern kitchen with ease.

"Thank you." She received the tea and cakes at the kitchen table, and took a bite. Delicious - just like everything else has been since her arrival in Rome. Nicoletta tasted her own cooking, and made a face. "It's too heavy for a midnight snack - but ah, well. It's not like I can cook up a storm for you now. So, Lanza, are you used to the pace here now?"

It had only been a week since the dark haired traveler stepped out of the airport, but somehow things had gone so smoothly from the start that it really seemed as though she'd never left in the first place. "I think living next door and coming here every night for tasty snacks has spoiled me. That and he restaurant. Everything feels... like family."

Nicoletta laughed. "That's how I felt too. It's strange, but I keep telling my grandma about it too - this has become my home in a way I would never have expected. Actually," She paused and tilted her head to the side to examine the other woman before her. "-all I needed was a girlfriend to talk to like you. A girlfriend who's similar to me - isn't married, or has their own family to worry about." She clarified, thinking of Marina and Margherita.

Eloisa paused in her gobbling of cake and coughed shyly. "I'm ... really glad you think so."

"You know, for some reason - don't think it's weird, but I liked you or the idea of you - before we even met." Eloisa raised an eyebrow as Nicoletta laughed sheepishly. "I thought, that woman who could cause such reactions in Gigi would definitely be extraordinary."

"Eh! That again... I thought we settled that I was only six when I met him, and he was already twenty!" The dark haired woman protested.

Nicoletta giggled. "He could have been very deeply impacted by your six year old self. But in any case, trust my word that he did not forget you at all." Eloisa sighed, and leaned back lazily in her chair with a small frown. "How could he forget... if he did I would never forgive him."

"Why not?" Nicoletta pressured.

There was a pause. "Because..." The dark haired woman sat up straight and looked at Nicoletta in hesitation, as if gauging what or how much she should say to the young apprentice whom she'd only known a week. "Achk. Heck with it. You told me about your story, I guess it's only fair that I tell you mine." She took a deep breath, and drank some more tea. "My grandfather was the owner of Faustino Wineries in Spain - he'd inherited it from his father who inherited it from his old man who bought it from some vinter long ago and so on." Catching the blank face on Nicoletta's face, Eloisa paused. "They're quite famous. You must have seen some at the restaurant."

"Ah.. so ... you're rich?!"Eloisa laughed and shook her head.

"I'll get to that. My father was the eldest son, but he'd none of the talent of my uncle so apparently grandfather chose his second son to take over once he's gone. Angered by this, my old man moved to Italy and bought a piece of land, determined to prove himself to his family. My mother died giving birth to me, and I think if it weren't for that, he would have made her continue to give birth until he got himself a son to continue his ambitions. Father got unlucky and had me instead, but even then he wouldn't let his obsession go. I was brought up under an iron fist and trained like a dog to love wines under family tradition. He forced me to do taste testing even as a child, but thankfully, I had high alcohol intolerance. So instead, he trained my olfactory sense." She tapped the tip of her nose with a grin.

"The old geezer was obsessed with getting back at his pops and besting his own brother - so much so that I remember receiving Drops of God as the only birthday and Christmas gifts each year because my father wanted me to figure out the clues with the characters. I wasn't sent to school when the time came, or even allowed to socialize with the neighboring children in the area. Needless to say, I eventually ran away from home."

Nicoletta swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat from hearing the story. "How... how old were you?"

"Ten. I would have done it sooner if I hadn't met Lorenzo and Gigi. Our farms were right next to each other, but my father never talked much - he saw everyone as competition. One day, I got too curious, and ventured to their side. I saw Lorenzo and was so afraid of him - he looked just like a bear and was much taller than even my father - that I hid in the shed, not knowing somebody was already there."

"It was Gigi!"

"Yeah - At first, I didn't know they were brothers, since they looked and acted the polar opposites of each other. I think I must have thought he too was scared into the shed by Lorenzo. I stayed in there for hours, munching sweetmeats with him. After that, it became a habit. They became my refuge, those two. Of course, when my father found out, I was beaten like crazy, but ironically after visiting the Orsini orchard to demand an explanation, my old man became friends with Lorenzo's old man, so it kind of worked out in the end. That is, until news arrived that my grandfather passed away. My father wanted us to go back to Spain immediately and fight for his right as first born to inheritance - but I really didn't want to go to a place I've never seen, and be used to do something I never wanted to do. It was Gigi who arranged everything for me to be taken care of by some distant relatives of his in Sweden; my father suspected them, but it really was untraceable the place they took me to. When I turned sixteen, I decided to make my own way and started travelling, though I dared not go back to Rome. So that's why I haven't been back to this place in nearly twenty years."

There was a silence that rested between them after Eloisa told her story. Nicoletta suddenly felt sad for all the complaints she'd muttered all her life - at least her mother still supported and cared for her, even if from afar. "What happened to your father?"

"He died two years ago. Of course, there had never been a point in me trying to make my way into my uncle's business in Spain as our side of the family has with no doubt been cut off and disowned. But I wanted to come back here to see if there's something left for me. My old man wasn't much of a nice guy, but he did work hard all his life and from what I remember, the orchard was faintly successful. I wanted to see if he'd left me anything... because ... I still have a very great debt to pay." Eloisa swallowed.

"So.. you came here to pay off your debt?"

The dark haired woman nodded softly. "Yeah. I thought, if there's something left from my father, that's great. But even so, it would only be a portion of what I owe the Orsini brothers. Especially Gigi. Ultimately I have to repay my debt to them some way or another, and I won't ever forget that."

Both of them sighed at the same time, and leaned back, sipping the tea which had already grown cold. "Is that why you bought Gigi such an expensive wine?"

Eloisa shrugged. "I came upon it in an auction. He was the only one I knew who could have enjoyed it as it's meant to be enjoyed."

"And not for any other reason..." Nicoletta muttered.

"What did you say?"

"Never mind - But then how will you know when or if your debt has been repaid?" Eloisa paused for a second.

"In a way owe him my life... so I don't really know. All I thought of before coming here was how much I owed."

Nicoletta sat in thoughtful silence for a moment. "Hey... do you think you could show me the vineyards?' I've never been to one before."

"Well.. actually, I don't have access to it anymore. When my father died, the property was taken back by the landlord, who also was kind enough to buy everything he left behind. I went to see the landlord three days ago, and he gave me the small sum of money from the purchase. But, why don't you ask Lorenzo to take you to see his property?"

Nicoletta clapped her hands together in delight. "Yes! I don't know why I'd never thought of that myself. Let's go together!"

"Wait - Wha.. - together?"

* * *

Nicoletta stared out the window of the fiat in amazement. Sure she'd grown up in some old school rural areas, but where she came from, there hadn't been stretches of farmland withholding neat rows and bushes that seemed to run on eternally. The lone road they traveled on seemed perfectly paved and very flat despite the uneven terrain, which provided spectacular scenery of hills and valleys lined and marked with signs of agricultural use. Once in a while she could see some tiny cows or horses in the distance, and scenic houses and large storage sheds where the landowners must have lived and worked.

"Wow... I never knew the countryside to be this beautiful..."

"This whole region is is dedicated to viniculture." Lorenzo said cheerily from the steering wheel. Nicoletta took a peek at Eloisa, who sat beside her in the backseats. She hadn't said a word since their departure, choosing instead to stare out the window at the bypassing scenery as if bewitched. Nicoletta turned to look at Gigi, who sat in the front passenger seat beside his brother silently looking out his window as well. To her fascination, he wore an expression she had never seen before. They arrived at the Orsini vineyards an hour and a half later, and pulled up to a large stone built house. "We have seasonal workers live here with the ordinary staff." Lorenzo explained.

The tour of the house was brief, and after walking along some rows of grapevines that were in just beginning to bud they settled outside on a small veranda with chairs and tables set up for lunch. "Ah, Gigi, can you find something to suit today's meal? I'm afraid we've only got some bread, cured meats and a limited selection of seasonal fruits." Lorenzo said as he helped bring food out of the kitchen. Gigi nodded.

"Oh- you're going to the shed - I'll go with you!" Eloisa said in excitement. Nicoletta started from her arrangement of plates, and looked at the pair walking toward a large storage shed she hadn't noticed until present with slight disappointment. Lorenzo smiled. "You can go too, if you like. I'll take care of the rest."

"Grazie!" She raced to catch up to them. The inside of the shed was an unexpected change from the bright sunshine outside. Only several dim lit light-bulbs hung from the rafters between pews of giant crates and barrels stacked one on top of the other. They followed Gigi's navigation closely in the unknown territory until arriving at a smaller segregated section which housed already bottled wines. Flicking on the light, Nicoletta's eyes widened as she was met with wall upon wall housing countless bottles of wine. "Wow..."

Putting on his spectacles, Gigi went straight to work, bending down one moment and climbing upon a detachable rolling step ladder in another. Whenever he found something to his liking, he handed the bottle to Eloisa and waited with what would seem to be an expression of expectation. The dark haired woman would wrinkle her face and shake her head and then hand it back to him, or hesitate, and put it to the side. In this manner, they made a small collection of four different red wines which they then brought down to two.

"The Sangiovese would go better with the meats." Gigi muttered.

"But the Cabernet is perfect for the atmosphere - remember eating outdoors affects the taste of things." Eloisa countered.

"That is.. true." Feeling the tide turn in her favor, she continued.

"Especially since it's spring - and the smell of the fresh earth and horticulture is so strong as to completely change one's palate. The Sangiovese would be better if we were eating in June." Gigi turned to her and raised an eyebrow laconically. "You are not even going to drink any." Eloisa opened her mouth, and then closed it with a look of indignation. He placed the Sangiovese back where it belonged, and picked up the Cabernet from her hands, but all the same, she was sure he had smirked whilst poking fun at her saddening 'disability'. Grumbling miserably, Eloisa followed him out back toward the veranda.

All this time, Nicoletta had watched their exchange in utter astonishment. She'd heard Gigi speak more in the time they spent in that cellar than she had in months. And then, when he turned to look at Eloisa with an eyebrow raised, Nicoletta was sure - she was _certain _- she saw the corner of his mouth curve upward. She had to press both hands upon her mouth to stop herself from gasping at the sight. Sure, she'd seen the quiet man's rare smile more than once before - but it was always toward a bottle of wine. As far as people were concerned - or even his beloved food - there was nothing that could have induced something like a smile from him. The blank and laconic expression reigned supreme when people were concerned - sometimes, if you were lucky, you could get a glimpse of surprise, irritation, satisfaction, wariness. But even then it was so faint you'd have to stare for a long time before you saw the difference. That expression had been minute as well, so that Nicoletta wasn't sure she would have even caught it if she hadn't known the man for so long.

But it was there. And it had even been kind of... _sexy_.

Nicoletta clamped her hands over her mouth with a small 'eep' as soon as this thought came into her mind. Shoot - what was she thinking?! She blushed slightly. No way... _No way. _Gigi and that word together - just... don't work. Shouldn't work. Somehow work fine in a cellar.

"Are you okay, Nicoletta? You're not eating." Lorenzo asked worriedly. Since they'd been back from their mini excursion. Snapping back to reality to find three pairs of eyes fixated curiously upon her, Nicoletta managed an awkward laugh. "Sorry - I was just er... admiring ... and - and, I thought of my grandmother who also-... lived on a farm." She finished lamely, ducking her head in pretense to eat. It was only a long time afterward that she peered up from her plate again.

Nicoletta watched as Gigi extended a hand toward Eloisa's half-finished plate, which she handed to him gladly to finish off. She noticed how this was done offhandedly, as if a common practice between the two. Their conversation (which was somewhat one sided) was a continuation of their previous discussion on how wine and food pairing may be affected by the external environment more than is often given credit for. Suddenly, in the heat of the moment, Eloisa stood up and with a dignified exclamation of 'I'll _prove _it!', pulled Gigi by the arm away from his food and back to the storage shed.

Nicoletta blinked in surprise, and then leaned toward the owner with a secretive whisper. "Hey, Lorenzo - are they really... close?" Lorenzo blinked at her, and then looked at the other two.

A soft smile played upon his lips and it was a moment before he answered. "Yeah. You can say that they are as close as two peas in a pod - even back then."

"I see..." She tried to imagine the conversation between a ten year old girl and a twenty something year old man that might have formed the foundations of such a friendship - to no avail. "...Why? I mean, they're so different - I just can't believe Gigi would open up to someone like Lanza!"

Lorenzo chuckled. "I guess it must seem so."

"What do you mean?"

"We-ell... they are quite similar, actually, despite appearances. Both of them are extremely shy, for instance."

Nicoletta shook her head unbelievably, imagining the open laugh and childish grin of Eloisa and the terse, inexpressive face of Gigi. She then thought of Claudio and Luciano. Now _they _were they type to get shy. Reading her thoughts, Lorenzo nodded. "Mm, yes. They both are. It's just that circumstances forced them both to become so good at hiding their true feelings. Maybe with more time one day you'll see - but I'm sure all the regular staff and Marzio will tell you the same - at least in Gigi's case."

Lorenzo paused as if deep in thought, and then nodded. "Mhm. I am sure, that if you were to ask anyone who knew him for a long time, to use one word to describe him - it would be... _cute_. It's why everyone at the restaurant indulges him so."

Shy?! _Cute?! _Nicoletta gawked at the man before her. Is he insane?! But then again... she had thought he looked almost _ravishing_ just moments ago.

"He's a mystery to me..." She sighed, looking at the peaceful scenery before her eyes that was the vineyard.


	3. Chapter 3 - World's Best Sommelier

**Vita Vinum Est**

_Chapter 3: World's Best Sommelier_

_Author's Note: _A friend of mine who's a seasoned writer on this site suggested that I indicate a strong disregard for cruel reviews aka 'flames'. She suggests the following: "Don't like a book? Put it down. Don't like a story? Stop reading! Only constructive criticism allowed." Since there are only 5 stories so far in Ristorante Paradiso section (the series itself is of a niche genre), I highly doubt there will be so many readers to warrant this, but oh well, better trust advice from the experienced.

Don't like a book? Put it down. Don't like a story? Stop reading! Only constructive criticism allowed.

Also, the World's Best Sommelier is actually a real competition.

Onwards.

* * *

_A date with Claudio... _Was it really? Nicoletta glanced at the man beside her furtively. He looked calm and perfectly at ease. _Like a saint. _This was their third official date together, and although it was nice, she had really hoped for something special. _Maybe a kiss._ Nicoletta blushed and then proceeded to furiously shook her head to rid it of the thought. They had agreed to take things slow, and slow it should be. But still...

Impulsively, she took his hand and held it tight within her own. Just as she predicted, he jumped slightly and stiffened beside her. "N-Nicoletta..."

"Don't worry. Nobody's looking at us. It's perfectly natural." Out of the corner of her eye she saw that Claudio was frowning at her, but he did not remove his hand from hers. She decided to move their conversation elsewhere to distract him. "Say, Lorenzo was telling me something interesting the other day, and I want to ask your opinion. Claudio... if you were to describe Gigi in one word, what word would it be?"

"Eh? That question seems unfair. One can't summarize an entire person with only one word-"

"Just answer it!"

A pause.

"I guess it would have to be... cute."

Nicoletta groaned. "You too? I don't see it..."

"Ah!" Claudio suddenly stopped. "Speaking of Gigi..."

* * *

"NO WAY!" Eloisa stared at the orange haired girl before her in astonishment. "The World's Best Sommelier?!"

Nicoletta nodded. "Claudio told me on our date on Saturday. Though, I was surprised too. I mean I knew Gigi was good, but I didn't think at that level."

Eloisa ran a hand through her dark hair. "He's a Master Sommelier." She mumbled offhandedly, eyes as if looking at something far away.

"Huh? What's that?"

"It's an advanced wine expert diploma... only about 200 or so people currently living possess it." Nicoletta thought about this for a moment. "Claudio said there are only let's see... about a quarter of that number of people who had been selected from all over the world to compete. So this means... this means even out of the 200, Gigi's considered really really good at what he does."

Eloisa nodded. "This competition is the highest you can go in the wine tasting business. And it only happens once every three years."

"Wow... I never knew- del'Orso is really full of talent! I always thought Furio was the highlight of the restaurant, after all we always have famous people like the mayor come to taste his cooking. But it seems like Gigi is even more important!"

"You can't compare the two - Furio has been a notoriously famous chef in the country, which in itself is impressive. Also there aren't as many sommeliers as chefs. But... I really didn't expect him to...and he didn't even tell me."

Nicoletta giggled. "I'm beginning to think all of Rome knows of it! After all, each country can only send so many people. Initially there had even been reporters at the restaurant, but after Luciano threatened them for disturbing local business, I hear they've resorted to tracking him down for interviews outside work. It's just that you've been so busy with finding a job yourself this week that you didn't notice!"

Eloisa shook her head unbelievably. "Reporters? Interviews? There's no way he's enjoying any of this."

"But there has also been a stupendous surge in Gigi's popularity with the female patrons. Vito's been worried sick that all his fans have switched alliances." _And Claudio's fans too... but that's more than okay. _Nicoletta thought.

"What? F...fans?"

"Yeah - women like Olga, who go to the restaurant more for their favorite gentlemen than to actually eat. Vito, Luciano, Claudio, Gigi - basically anyone outside the kitchen had fans like that. But now, it seems like all of the women are suddenly favoring Gigi over any of the others. Unfortunately, he's not a cameriere, but that just means we've sold more wine than anything else for the past while."

"Their efforts are useless. Gigi's not interested in women at all. He grew up knowing how one woman can break the hearts of men of two generations."

"But he's also a man, and just as susceptible to the same weakness of all men."

Eloisa opened her mouth as if in protest, but finding a lack of words, closed it again. The orange haired apprentice stiffed a smile at the sight of a sullen scowl that suddenly appeared on the older woman's face. "Still. He's never been like that no matter who it is..." Nicoletta thought she heard a slight hint of irritation in Eloisa's muttered tone.

"What do you mean?"

Eloisa sighed. "I always thought God is fair, which is why Gigi's not the tallest guy around. He's by no means short, but still...what I mean is, he was even more handsome when he was younger. So handsome that if he had been born as tall as Lorenzo, people would probably paid to paint or sculpt him."

Nicoletta recalled the old pictures of bygone times in the Ristorante, especially the one where the two Orsini brothers stood together after having opened their first restaurant - a precursor to the present one. She remembered noticing how absolutely different the two were - in appearance and persona even as captured on photograph. Dark toned Lorenzo resembled to her most of all an enormous furry ball of warmth, like some kind of friendly animal. In contrast, cold and severe Gigi with his blonde locks and delicate features seemed almost a creation of chiseled marble. Only their eyes were the same, large and dark as if they could swallow you up whole. She'd seen (or rather coaxed out of him) pictures of Claudio as a waiter in training and young chef Furio - a shy, insecure softie and a cool and confidant but slightly arrogant young man. If she thought about it, by normal standards Gigi was definitely up there in terms of attractiveness next to Furio. But Nicoletta had to suppress a shiver at the thought of that cold, unapproachable young man she'd seen in the photo. Good looking? Yes. But she liked better the way he had become. "He looked like a marble statue."

"Yeah.. apparently women love that kind of cool aloofness. Or maybe they love the fact that he's the heir to the entire Orsini business and estate. In any case, tons of eligible ladies tried to strike an alliance and win him over to no avail. He was always and remains to this day an untouchable standalone original."

"Hmm... I hear Furio was like that too, until he met his wife Angela. And then, she turned him from being a total ice pick to that chef who can smile at everything and laugh without restraint. So you never know."

The older woman stood up with a slight frown. "That stubborn mule? Impossible."

Nicoletta paused for a moment, contemplating her next words. "I think he loved my mother." A porcelain cup dropped onto the counter, luckily avoiding being smashed into a thousand pieces on the floor. Eloisa's shoulders visibly flinched upwards at the sound, and it was several moments before she turned around with an expression of embarrassment, surprise - but also curiosity. "Ol...ga?"

"Yeah. It's so sadly ironic that he gets to experience the same thing his father and uncle went through - the thing that ruined his family. But I'm sure of it - he developed a habit of watching out for Olga, so even though the ardent love has long eroded away, the habit remained. I see it in the way he looks at her sometimes, different from how he watches other people. As if though she can't be his lover, it's still his duty to treat her kindly and with extended respect because of her status long ago in his heart."

Eloisa stared at Nicoletta with her mouth agape. _What the...?!_ She'd never even thought the man had a heart. Well, maybe a functional organ called the human heart, but one that is alive and can beat with such emotions? _Impossible... _

* * *

Luciano idly eyed the four glasses of dark red wine that sat on the counter of his favorite cafe/bar. Eloisa, who had decided to take up the job he left behind as bartender next to his younger brother, stood looming over the wine glasses with a serious expression. "Well?" The blonde sommelier did not respond as he peered at the four specimens out of his spectacles. Suddenly, the front door of the bar swung open, revealing Claudio and Nicoletta who eagerly approached them. "Sorry that took so long - What did we miss?" Luciano frowned at the pair.

"Hmph. What are you two doing here? It's late."

"Huh? But we always used to come for a drink together after work. Besides, we wanted to see Gigi's training."

"That's because you two were still single back then. Drinks after work is only for people who don't have a significant other to go back home to and hence can afford taking a longer time. You two have obligations now. Shoo."

Claudio sweat dropped nervously as Nicoletta blew out her cheeks in anticipation of a smart retort. "Our obligation is to be together- _here_."

"Gian Luigi Orsini, your verdict please." Eloisa announced in all seriousness. Gigi picked up the first glass. "This is a -"

"Oh my! I can't believe you work here now, Lanza! You stand just exactly where Luciano used to..." A light voice rang with laughter. Olga walked toward the group with her arm linked in Lorenzo's. Luciano groaned at the second distraction of the night. What had their plans of a quiet night of wine tasting come to?! Nicoletta giggled and nudged him. "So much for single drinkers club huh?" He flushed angrily and looked away.

"This is a Riesling Kabinett. Dry, but flavorful German vintage wine, slightly underage. You shouldn't have opened it yet."

"And this?"

Gigi took a whiff, and then held up the glass to the light before taking a sip. He closed his eyes and sighed. "Burgundy Pinot Noir. This is definitely Premier Cru if not Grand. Full-bodied, sensual, rich..." He smiled softly, causing a collective gasp from the others at the sight of such a rare reaction. "...a seductive wine."

Olga was the first to recover. "My...I never realized just how much feeling you put into your work. It's no wonder you were chosen for that competition!" She took a step forward until there was less than thirty centimeters distance between them. Gigi rose from his seat, but did not move otherwise. Olga wore a small smile as she reached out and adjusted his shirt collar and tie. Her light blue eyes were soft and kind. "I wonder whether you'll choose to go someplace more challenging after all this. Someplace more suited to your talents."

Gigi remained immobile, but his eyes looked away slightly. "I will continue to serve at the restaurant." He said quietly.

Nicoletta peeked at the others, who watched the exchange with perfectly calm expressions. Only Eloisa stared at the blonde sommelier before her as if he'd sprouted wings. Her dark eyes slowly moved from Gigi to Olga, and then back again. _Impossible... _He wasn't looking at the blonde beauty before him, but there was no mistaking the softness in his features. _Sensual...seductive..._When had he learned to be capable of using terms like these?!


	4. Chapter 4 - The Trouble With Macarons

**Vita Vinum Est**

_Chapter 4: The Trouble with Macarons_

* * *

Row upon row of angelic baked delights enticed walkers-by through wide pane windows upon a busy street in the heart of Rome. On the left hand side of this small bakery was a neat family owned flower shop, and on the right a specialty store selling a wide assortment of cutlery and china. The narrow cobbled road was filled with bustling people that afternoon, walking in and out of the many shops that aligned either side of the rue. For those who were tired out by their day's work, the vendors thoughtfully provided benches, round tables and chairs outside their establishments that were conveniently shielded from the sun by large umbrellas. Upon one such bench that stood alone a ways away from the bakery sat an old man whose eyes idly browsed through the columns of a local newspaper whilst a young blue eyed boy snacked upon crisps next to him. The boy hummed as he ate, and swung his legs back and forth on the seat that was still much too high for him.

"Hey Nonno, that lady hasn't moved at all. I wonder if the shop owner will shoo her away soon..."

Luciano moved the paper closer to his nose, so that it shielded his face entirely from view. "I told you to mind your own business, Francesco."

"But- she looks kind of pitiful there..." Luciano grimaced, and sneaked a peek from behind his paper. Like Francesco described, that woman was still crouched in the exact same position she had been in when they arrived at their usual Saturday bench. She stared into the display windows of the bakery unashamedly, and were it not for the incessant traffic through the shop there was no doubt in his mind that she would have long been evicted from her post.

"Maybe she's hungry, and hasn't any money."

"Don't be ridiculous." Luciano grumbled. "She... works at the cafe." He could feel the boy's large blue eyes turn to him in surprise. "Nonno! How could you just ignore her all this time if you knew who she was?!" The old man felt a blush creep into his cheeks.

"Because she obviously doesn't know anybody's watching her. It would be embarrassing to interrupt her privacy." The boy beside him turned to the pitiful looking woman and then back at his grandfather. "I think she's just hungry." And then, without a second thought, he pulled Luciano by the arm and began making his way toward the bakery door.

Eloisa sighed softly at the dazzling array of sweets and cakes that glittered beyond the glass. She swallowed, and licked her lips again. Biscoti, eclairs, pies and cream puffs - she wanted all of them. But most of all, her eyes lingered on the rainbow of macarons in the center isle. _Good lord... _When was the last time she'd had one of those mini pieces of heaven? "Excuse me, miss? Are you okay?" A child-like voice broke her reverie. Eloisa blinked and looked up to see a young boy of about seven or eight looking down at her in curiosity. Behind him towered a familiar figure, who looked vexed and somewhat embarrassed.

"What the heck are you doing crouched down there like a homeless person?" The older man demanded. Eloisa opened her mouth, and then closed it. "I-this lowest row contains my favorite foods."

"You've been there for ages, miss." Francesco pointed out. Eloisa slowly stood up, and pointed to the boy. "Is this the grandson you mentioned?" He nodded.

Eloisa grinned down at the boy and ruffled his hair. "I'm Lanza, nice to meet you." Francesco looked at her in curiosity. "What were you doing down there?" Her smile faltered at this and a guilty look overcame her. "Actually... I'm really hungry for baked goods and forgot to bring any money." Luciano pressed his hand to his forehead. "Unbelievable."

Several moments later, the trio walked out of the shop with a box of macarons between them. "I wish you were my grandfather." Eloisa grinned to Luciano, who mumbled something about day-dreaming. Then, sighing, the older man took a baked good for himself. "How's the work going?" The young woman shrugged. "It's easy enough - oh but actually, I've been meaning to thank you for the job. Living here on my own without a steady source of income would have been painful to say the least!" And shameful, considering her true mission in coming back to Rome, she didn't say.

Luciano frowned. "How long are you planning to stay here?" A strange shiver of déjà vu suddenly ran through him as the words left his mouth.

"I haven't quite planned it out." Eloisa saw him grimace from the corner of her eye, and hastily added, "I-I've got some business to finish up, it's not so I can be a nuisance and leech to you guys. Sorry." Luciano blinked at her words, surprised by her sensitivity. He had forgotten the woman before him was not so young as she seemed. And, as it appears to be, much more aware of her surroundings than Nicoletta had ever been. "Hmph, don't take words from my mouth."

Francesco, who had been attentively tuned in to their conversation in pretense of being happily satisfied with his treats suddenly turned around and smiled. "He means we would love for you to stay! I mean, if you end up falling in love with this place."

"You can fall in love with the place. Just don't fall in love with any people." Luciano leaned forward and looked Eloisa in the eye warily, causing her to jump. "I-it will not happen sir!" She tried to restrain her urge to salute him. "Hmph!"

* * *

The big occasion came upon them all like a thief in the night, and left just as quickly. Unfortunately, Gigi did not place far ahead enough to garner a top three placement finish, but it hadn't been anyone's expectation that the humble sommelier from a tiny restaurant in the heart of Rome would have done any better than he proved he could do. Upon hearing the news, all the staff of del'Orso plus Lorenzo, Olga, Eloisa and Mario the restaurant's old sous chef decided to put together a congratulatory party to celebrate his return to Italy after two exhausting weeks of the international competition abroad.

Eloisa stood against a mop on the side of the busy kitchen as chefs and camerieres worked steadily to redecorate the dining area and fill the air with delectable scents. Lorenzo had turned up as well, and was busy working the phone and records, cancelling orders and rescheduling for guests, explaining without any real due need aside from his own enthusiasm that his wonderful brother had just arrived the afternoon prior. The only one missing was Olga, who had promised to get the cake in return for her absence among them that morning. Eloisa tried to squish against the wall and pull her mop back to allow for more room for the others, and occasionally swiped at what she thought was a grease stain on the floor, but was only a reflection off a silver platter. She'd done little next to nothing the entire morning- only mopped the floors - and tried in vain to think of ways to help to her demise.

"Ah, Claudio watch out!" Claudio skid across several feet and stumbled to a halt with a tall stack of plates. He turned to look at Nicoletta, who had her hands upon her mouth. "T-that was close... Lanza, I think you've swiped the floors enough." At her words, the entire kitchen turned quiet. Eloisa blushed awkwardly, and stared back at them all. The fact that she had no talent for cooking whatsoever had been made apparent in the earlier stages of their acquaintances, a fact only solidified by her efforts that morning under the encouragement of Mario who had been until then painfully unaware of the damage she could inflict when let loose in a kitchen such as del'Orso.

"S-sorry, Claudio." She mumbled, and quickly walked outside. The chefs (and trainee) looked at each other. Furio poked Nicoletta. "You should say something."

"What?! Why me?"

"Because you're the one who caused this mess." Furio grumbled, earning himself a surprising nod from Claudio. Nicoletta sighed and put down her knife she'd used to chop vegetables. She found Eloisa sitting at a booth in the corner with her head in her hands so that dark neck length waves of hair covered her face. Nicoletta took a deep breath, and pulled at Lorenzo's arm to get his attention, then pointing over to her direction. She waited for him to finish his call and then they both went over and sat in the booth bench across from her. "Hey..."

Eloisa looked up at the two with slightly reddened eyes. "Hey."

Lorenzo raised an eyebrow at Nicoletta, who cleared her throat before continuing. "You know, you really did a good job cleaning these floors. They're so glossy I can see my reflection in them."

"What a hindrance I've been to you guys. Sorry." She mumbled softly.

"No! You're not - everyone just has a different skill set. I'm sure there's something else you can do.." Nicoletta thought fast, but not as fast as Lorenzo. "Why don't you go keep my brother company for the day? At least until we're done over here. The party starts at six, and we've still got five hours to kill. Gigi is such a worrier-he called last night and I had to force him to take a break on his first day back- what's to say he won't spontaneously come in to check on us today?"

Nicoletta nodded enthusiastically. "Yes! How did I not think of this earlier? Gigi is bound to be suspicious if he can't contact any of us. All you need to do is distract him somehow until the time comes!"

Eloisa looked from one smiling face to the other, and felt a smile tug at her own lips. "That, I can do."

* * *

It wasn't that Gian Luigi Orsini did not enjoy time off for himself. Having spent his entire childhood barely having known his 'adulterous' mother, and business professional father, and being socially isolated by his upbringing from all the other children his age (except the elite, who were as uptight as their families were), Gigi had learned early on to find peace and satisfaction in solitude. That, plus his naturally introverted personality meant he often chose actively to travel and dine alone, spending his days simply by himself without having to subject his daily routine to the presence of another human being. However, having just arrived back home from a grueling two week top-tier international competition -which had quite literally pushed him right against his physical and mental limits- he felt particularly glad to be back home, and perhaps even yearned to see his friends and family at the restaurant.

When he'd been cordially ordered by his own younger brother to a day's rest, Gigi felt a mixture of emotions bubble within him, not the least of which was irritation and disappointment. He didn't voice any of these, and accordingly obeyed the advice, sleeping a full eight hours for the first time in many days. The sommelier was just putting on his coat to get lunch at a nearby cafe with the intention of spending the day at home reading when several knocks sounded at his door. Gigi frowned. The morning paper had already come, and he had few interactions with his neighbors, although perhaps one of them had something to inform him of and couldn't because he'd been away. With these thoughts in mind, it was the last thing he would have expected to see when he opened the door, the cheeky grin of Eloisa Faustio who was standing shyly upon his doorstep. Eloisa saw his eyes widen in surprise, and hastily opened conversation. "How was it?!"

Gigi stepped aside as the young woman barraged into his home. His shock at seeing her quickly faded, and he closed his mouth, shutting the door with a small sigh. "I thought you already knew." He indicated to the newspapers that lay upon his coffee table. "Why are you here?" Eloisa winced at the suspicion on his tone. He'd always known when she was up to no good - even though she'd fancied herself a rather good liar when need be.

"Of course I read the paper, but that never does it justice. I want the real play-by-play!" Gigi blinked at her enthusiasm, and raised an eyebrow. He suddenly realized it was the first time she had ever entered his condo. He narrowed his eyes and frowned at her. "How did you know this is where I live?"

Eloisa froze. She couldn't tear her eyes away from his, and thought she saw her own panic reflected in his eyes. "I-I...asked...Lorenzo." She finished in a whisper. And then suddenly, she saw no suspicious curiosity - only genuine surprise. "It's a wonderful house." She added nervously. Gigi looked at her one more time, and then turned away as all his prior irritation faded. "...would you like a tour?"

Eloisa wasn't lying about finding his two-floored condo wonderful. It was chic and modern but at the same time still retained a traditional feel to it. She enjoyed walking through the old fashioned library with bookshelves that lined the walls and reached to the ceiling, soft cushion-ey chairs and of course, a wall solely dedicated to bottles of wine. The kitchen and dining areas were more sparse and modern in taste, but everywhere she could see hints of Gigi that made her giggle. Like the plastic rubber duck that sat upon the sill of the primary upstairs bathtub - the one he no doubt used every time he needed to take a bath. And the massive cork collection that he hastily tried to shield from her in the second bedroom/study downstairs. And his scarves, scattered around the place, haning from the railing, from the coat rack, from sun chairs on his balcony attached to the master bedroom. When she saw the four scarves laid out upon his king-size bed, Eloisa burst into laughter. "What on earth?! Gigi, we're in the middle of summer for goodness' sake."

Gigi tried to reason with this logic, but found himself unable to do so when the young woman before him plopped down on the side of his bed, took one of his favorite scarves (which he had wanted to properly clean, since they'd been in the closet for several months now) and wrapped it around her neck until only a pair of eyes and nose poking out of the bundle. Gigi stiffened at this, and then looked away sideways, as if that could have removed her from his bedroom and with her the wave of strange thoughts feelings that ran through him. Like the fact that this woman was in his bedroom. On his bed. Wrapped in his scarf. Perhaps it felt strange because it _was_ indeed a strange occurrence, at least where his daily routine (a comforting constancy that had soothed him for over a decade). After all, when was the last time that he'd had - _damn it. _Gigi frowned slightly. He was too old to be playing those kind of games. "I will tell you about the competition." He found himself muttering as he began walking toward the stairs again without looking back.

It was wise that he chose not to look back for if he had, he would have seen the young woman loosen the scarf whilst watching his back with a soft expression - somewhat sad, maybe nostalgic and bittersweet with the recognition that the days where as a child, she could say and do what she pleased with him were now over. It was an expression that would have made him stop in mid step and taken his breath away. If he'd looked back, even so much as a glance, he would have realized how the cheeky little girl he'd once known was no longer as little as he remembered.

When Eloisa made her way down the semi-circle staircase, she heard Gigi turn on the stove and the familiar hissing of boiling water. She was content to wander around by herself - until she heard the unmistakable sound of chopping vegetables. She froze and then whipped around, dashing into the dining area and adjoined kitchen. "Gigi! What are you- why are you _cooking_?!" The sommelier looked up from his dicing of tomatoes, and stared at the woman before him. If Eloisa hadn't been in such a panic, she might have snickered at the way he looked, wearing a casual grey dress shirt and navy pants over which was draped a dark green apron with several webbed feet imprinted as tracks running down its side; holding a stainless steel cutting blade in mid air - as if a living tableau.

"It's nearly one. I'm making lunch for us." He neglected to mention his original intention of going out for a quick dine, and resumed the dicing of vegetables. Eloisa swallowed, and quickly checked a mini bulova grandfather clock that hung in the dining area. _Aw shit... _there were still five hours to kill. And of course - the man must have been intending to go out, or at least have some lunch by this time. But if they ate now... she recalled the menu of delectable dishes, all of his favorites, that the chefs of del'Orso had painstakingly planned out for the party. "I'm not hungry. I already ate." She lied quickly.

Gigi nodded. "I will make only one portion then." Eloisa could have smacked him senseless.

"We-ell... er, wait. Ah...," She hopped over to where he stood, and within the span of mere seconds quickly snatched the knife from his hands, turned off the pre-heating stove element, and shoved the vegetables back into the fridge. When this was done, she scraped the diced tomatoes from the cutting board into a small bowl, and pushed that onto the first shelf in the refrigerator as well. Gigi had watched her move with inhuman speed with a horrified expression, mouth slightly ajar. She gave him a nervous smile. "I'm sorry Gigi. It's just...you really can't...you need to go on a diet."

He nearly jumped when she patted his flat stomach with her hand. "You gained quite a bit of weight since the last time we saw each other, huh!" An unsettling silence spread in the room. Eloisa began praying hard - for what, she didn't even know.

"I need to ... what?" Gigi asked quietly.

Eloisa stared hard at the ground. She knew his eyes were fixed on her, and he wouldn't let it go until he got an answer.

"S-sorry. I didn't mean that. It was a lie. An excuse - you actually look too thin." She finally mumbled. It was then, when all seemed to be lost, that an idea suddenly sparked to life in her mind, inspired by a faint memory from not long ago. She looked up, eyes shining. "Actually...It's my birthday today! And-and I got a day off, but nobody else was available to celebrate. I was so... lonely at home. So I called the restaurant to book table for dinner. I was telling this to Lorenzo who told me to find you. I had no idea you'd just come back yesterday, and I thought, why not - I want to ask him about the trip anyway, and the wines, and the different contestants! And I guess I was wanting to ask you if you were busy today, so maybe you could come... have dinner with me?"

Gigi listened to her narrative with increasing incredulity, bordering on disbelief. Had it been anyone else, he might have declined the offer. But the fact that she'd done so much damage by appearing out of nowhere already, and was now looking at him with such hopefulness.. Gigi sighed, and untied the knot of the apron at his back. ".. you are still so stubborn to have your own way."

Eloisa let out the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. "Thank you, Gigi."

"We should still eat something in the meantime. When is the reservation for?"

"Six. We can um, have some candy. But nothing serious, okay? I think Lorenzo has got the kitchen cooking specially for me tonight." Gigi raised his eyebrow at her suggestion. "How about..." He sifted through his cupboards, randomly pulling out odd ingredients.

"...macarons?" The older man didn't need to turn around to ask for her opinion. From the gasp, he knew still she loved those mini cakes as much as she'd ever. He hid a small smile as he arranged the remaining ingredients.

"Are we... are we going to make them?" Eloisa glanced doubtfully at the materials. Gigi nodded. "We can bring some to the restaurant."

She took the extra apron he fetched for her, and tied it carefully. "So.. how was the it?"

"Exhausting."

"Did you get to taste many exotic wines?"

Gigi shook his head. "Well, I guess that makes sense. It's more about your professionalism as a sommelier than actual tasting. Did you meet any people?"

She waited until he'd poured out the flour. "The atmosphere wasn't one for conversation." He said quietly. She didn't point out that where he was concerned, there really weren't that many atmospheres for conversation anyway. They continued like this, working steadily and chatting. Eloisa watched with growing fascination as the macarons began taking shape before her own eyes.

"I can't believe you're also a cook.." She bit into a coffee hued mini cake and grinned happily. "It's delicious!"


	5. Chapter 5 - Secret Recipe

**Vita Vinum Est**

_Chapter 5: Secret Recipe_

* * *

After bagging the last of the multicolored macarons and helping clean up the kitchen, Eloisa sighed and walked out into the comfortably small living room/library and plopped down onto one side of the sofa. She furtively checked the time - it had taken them nearly two hours to assemble everything, bake, eat, and clean up. It was nearly half past three now, which meant they still had two more hours to burn before it was safe to take Gigi to the restaurant.

She glanced at the man in question, and watched from her slumped position as he flipped through the pages in a book in his armchair. He held a cup of tea in one hand, and the book in the other. "Geez..." He looked up over his half-frame reading glasses and raised an eyebrow at her laconically.

"You're so old-fashioned and proper, Gigi. Look at you - book, tea, reading glasses... wait a minute, did you buy those just because they're shaped like two wine glasses?!" Eloisa squinted at his spectacles with a grin.

He immediately pulled the book higher so it covered his entire face. "Don't be silly." Eloisa giggled to herself at his obvious denial. She then tried to pass the time in the same way, and browsed through some of the volumes lining his wall. She tried to engross herself in their contents, but found it impossible to do so, and eventually gave up as quickly as she'd started.

"There's still an hour and half until we can leave..." She moaned, fully stretching out on the sofa. "Can't we do something more.. interesting?" When Gigi didn't respond for several minutes, Eloisa sighed. She really shouldn't be lashing out her restless energy by behaving so immaturely - after all, it was merely her job to stall him until the it was time for the party. But it had been so long since they last spent time in each others' company like this. Surely, they had more to catch up on? "When did you... buy this place?" She asked lamely.

Gigi kept the book in place, but responded nonetheless. "Six or seven years ago."

"So before that you remained connected to your father's place?" He nodded slightly. "Huh... so what happened to the Orsini business and estate? And Piemonte wines?"

"I ...sold the house. The winery is still there. It still produces excellent wine."

"Ah, so you remain in direct competition with your brother." Eloisa tried not to grin when Gigi frowned at her, and placed down his book. "I own and maintain Piemonte wineries, but my name will always be in direct liason with Orsini wines."

Eloisa looked at him strangely. "You know, that you can choose the non-intuitive, and see value beyond materialistic things - it's one of your best qualities." She waved her hand as if to illustrate. "Choosing Orsini over Piemonte. An unlikely bond with the prodigal son over a vast inheritance. A simple life and career over widespread fame. Your brother's happiness over your own." Gigi stared at her rigidly. "..What?"

The dark haired woman gaped at him openly, shocked at how easily she'd let slip the one big - and quite speculative- secret Nicoletta had entrusted to her. This was bad.. she'd forgotten how easy it was to let down her barriers around him. The man was such a good listener that anyone hoping for a conversation with him without fail ended up doing most of the talking and telling him things they might not have otherwise. And she had at least one big secret concerning them both that she most definitely did not want him to know. In a flash Eloisa jumped up from her position, and pointed to the door. "We - I - need to leave... I forgot I had to buy something today since it's my day off.."

Gigi nodded, and then picked up his book again. The young woman before him stood there for a moment in disbelief before marching over to him. "Gigi! You have to come with me!" He looked up at her with bewildered incredulity at her apparent childishness. And then, remembering that the reason for her entire visit was because she wanted company on her birthday, he sighed and stood up as well.

They wandered through the center of Rome toward a fairly little known shopping district far from del'Orso. The crisp early-autumn air made for excellent weather to have gone out for a stroll, and that afternoon the streets were filled with shoppers although it was nearing supper-time. "What do you need to buy?" Gigi asked her as they bypassed several windows. Eloisa cringed, her enjoyment of the weather suddenly disappearing. "New...boots. It's getting cold, and I only have a heavy duty winter pair." That was true enough.

They stopped at a small specialty store for women's foot apparel, with many ladies bustling inside. Eloisa had just pushed the door open when Gigi stopped her. "I'll be back soon." He said, and then continued to walk ahead. She blinked, puzzled at this, until she realized he might have felt uncomfortable as the only man in a room full of women and their shoes. Besides, there had been a store up ahead that sold specialty cheeses.

It didn't take long for her to decide upon a pair of plain brown lace-up boots, and although she'd been the latest arrival among the other women in the store, she was proud to have been the first to leave with item in hand. Humming slightly, Eloisa strolled toward the cheese shop and peered inside. It was quite dark, so she squinted, trying to make out whether Gigi was somewhere inside and did not notice the presence of another person beside her until she saw a blur of red and pink reflected in the shop window. Turning slightly to glance sideways, she was confronted with a startling bouquet of roses in various shades of red, pink and lavender with vibrant green leaves scattered throughout.

For a second, Eloisa wondered what or who the bouquet was for. It only took another moment for her to look lift her eyes from the flowers to the person holding them, and come face to face with the man she thought she had been looking for within the cheese shop. Her dark brown eyes met his deep black ones, and her mouth opened in the shock of realization that they were for her. "Happy birthday." Gigi said quite seriously, holding out the flowers. Eloisa blinked, and closed her mouth. Then, a smile tugged at the corner of her lips, which turned to a grin, and then a giggle, and then real laughter.

"Oh, Gigi - you really, _really _shouldn't have.." She took the elegant bouquet from him, and smelled the soft sweetness of roses. "Aw, shucks. They look so pretty. It's the first time anyone's given me real roses." The sommelier had to resist a sigh of relief. They resumed their leisurely stroll, and for the first time that afternoon Eloisa noticed she wasn't the only woman on the streets accompanied by a man _and _sporting flowers. She felt a surge of happiness at the realization that cool and aloof Gigi had been inspired to bring the same gift to her, even if it was only because it was supposedly her birthday.

"Hey, now this feels like a date." She whispered with a grin. "Especially like this - now wer're like the other couples." Gigi tensed when she suddenly hooked her arm around his elbow. But upon seeing the look of giddy joy on her expression, he decided to play along. "Let me." He said, and placed the paper bag of macarons in her shopping bag which went in his 'unoccupied' hand.

It was only when they were within viewing distance of the door of del'Orso that they separated. "Lemme hold the stuff," Eloisa said and quickly pulled her shoes and the macarons from his hand. She ignored the questioning look he gave her, and ran to the door of the restaurant so Gigi could be first witness to the surprise party. It was five minutes past six, and after taking a deep breath, she juggled bouquet, bags, and pulled the door handle open. Unfortunately, he merely stood at the entrance and propped the door open with his arm in an attempt to take her things so she could enter first. In a fit of frustration, Eloisa took the door with her foot, and used her shoulder to push him with a stumble inside.

"SURPRISE!" Gigi's eyes widened as the sound of several party crackers and accompanying confetti strips filled the air. He stood motionless, shocked at the festive scene before him, at the transformation of the restaurant into a merry gathering of his closest friends, who all smiled at him in excitement. On a large red banner at the back it read in bold cursive font '_Complimenti a Gigi'. _

Lorenzo stepped forth and placed his hands on his brothers' shoulders. "Welcome back, Gigi." With that, one by one the others began to clap. The blonde sommelier looked at all of them in turn, and then turned to Eloisa, who also joined in the applause whilst clasping her roses in the crook of her arm. "Sorry I lied... it's not my birthday today. I had to make sure you didn't come here on a whim while they were preparing the surprise." She smiled at him guiltily.

Gigi looked around him at the elaborate set-up of fancy decor and tables of wonderful foods, and especially at a table covered in wine bottles with a card propped up that read 'to Gigi from us all' - and then, he smiled. A small smile, but it elicited several whistles and cheers nonetheless. They were seated in groups of four and served by the three camerieres who -under strict instruction to merely bring the food to the tables, and then retire to dine themselves- brought plate upon plate of an elaborate five course meal for all of them to enjoy. Gigi was sat with Olga, Mario and Lorenzo - his oldest acquaintances and among closest of friends, but once in a while someone from another candlelit table would stand and ask for a toast to him with their personalized wines they'd asked the sommelier to recommend from the table. Each person sat with their own bottle - with the exception of Eloisa, who was ceremoniously given an opened bottle which contained orange juice instead - and poured themselves as they wished, with Lorenzo serving his brother for the first time since their initial meeting as brothers many years ago.

"Wow.. this is amazing.." Eloisa said, astonished at their progress in the short number of hours she'd been gone. She was seated with Luciano, Claudio, and Nicoletta, who all looked somewhat tired, but happy at the end result. "I think the chefs did a wonderful job with the food." Claudio mused, taking another bite. Luciano nodded, and then, after a moment added, "that means you too." and nodded toward Nicoletta who beamed at the compliment. She sneaked a peek at the third and final table, where main chefs Furio and Teo were joined by Furio's wife Angela and Vito. They seemed content enough as well, and she let out a breath of satisfaction. She hadn't screwed anything up for them.

When the dinner was over, the camerieres moved the tables away to the sides, and pushed out from the table three new trolleys of a various assortment of cake and other desserts. Remembering the macarons, Eloisa fetched her shopping bag from the back of the restaurant, and then unearthed the slightly crumpled brown paper bag. Thankfully, none of the mini cakes had been damaged.

Gigi saw her walk out into the dining area with the bag, and immediately intercepted before she could reveal them. "There's enough food-" he began, but understanding what he was trying to do, Eloisa made a quick turn toward one of the trolleys and poured the macarons onto an empty plate.

"Wha-, did _you_ make these?" Teo exclaimed, squinting at the assortment of macarons which on the surface looked perfectly formed. His voice, which traveled quite far among their small gathering, caused the others to focus their attention toward the treats as well, much to Gigi's dismay.

Furio took one and examined it before taking a bite. His eyes widened. "This is... good!" He said incredulously. Teo nodded, dumbfounded. He squished one lightly between his fingers. "These are difficult to make - it takes a lot of troubleshooting to get the right consistency and texture."

Hearing this, Nicoletta rushed toward the table as well, and soon, everyone was tasting the small treats. Lorenzo chewed his chocolate macaron, and then looked from Eloisa to his brother. "Did you really make this, Lanza?" Eloisa pretended to look hurt. "Why do you all think it's impossible I made them?"

"Because you can't work a kitchen." Luciano grumbled. She winced at his comment, and then sighed. "Well, you guys are correct - actually, Gigi was the one who made them." Several gasps followed, as all eyes turned to the sommelier who tried to look interested in the other dessert options.

They watched him fill a plate with sweets, and then sit down again at a table to the side. "Unbelievable..." Furio shook his head with a wry smile. "It seems our little man is full of surprises." Vito laughed, grabbing a new plate as well. Eloisa beat him to it however, and quickly stacked up a mountain of desserts before heading to happily sit down next to Gigi. "See? You didn't have to be embarrassed.."

Lorenzo shook his head at the sight with a smile. "Actually, I knew immediately after tasting it that Gigi was the one who'd made them." Olga brought her husband a glass of wine. "What do you mean?"

"Gigi used to hate sweet things. I remember when he suddenly started liking them, and began to learn how to bake. That was about fifteen years ago. It was quite startling, actually. Seeing him covered in flour and sugar." He smiled. "He makes very good red velvet cake too."

Angela eyed him shrewdly. "Did this sudden change have something to do with her?" She nodded toward Eloisa. Lorenzo paused and thought for a moment. "Most likely, yes. We were neighbors, and for personal family issues she lived with some distant relatives of his in Switzerland. Lanza loves sweets, and as they spent a lot of time together, it's possible she was responsible for influencing his preferences."

Nicoletta frowned in thought. "Fifteen years ago... wait, wasn't that when she left Switzerland? No way... did Gigi start learning to bake for-" She stopped, and looked at the others who stared back at her in wonder. They all turned to look at the man who sat munching on desserts.

"Was she carrying... roses when they came in earlier?" Mario asked, causing both Olga and Nicoletta to gasp in a disconcertingly similar manner. Mother and daughter looked at each other. Both had assumed the flowers had been a celebratory gesture for and not from the man.

"I-I'm sure there's an explanation-" Claudio began weakly, feeling as if he needed to protect them somehow from these accusations.

"Damn it, I told her not to - Ahhggghh." Luciano grimaced. "I can't believe this is happening again.." Nicoletta glared at him indignantly, and then proceeded to dump some desserts onto a plate. Angela giggled at Claudio's pained expression and followed the pair to the table.

"So Gigi, do you have any other contests or events planned? Maybe a world tour?" Furio asked kindly. Gigi shook his head. "Oh but you must have been invited to the Broadbent European Wine Tasting in November, right? We're going to see you there."

Nicoletta blinked in confusion, and tugged at Claudio's arm. "What's that?" She whispered.

"It's a friendly non-competitive Continental tasting in Paris hosted by a famous wine critic." Angela whispered back. Claudio smiled weakly, acknowledging his own lack of expertise in the area. "I am good friends with his daughter." She explained with a shrug.

Eloisa whistled softly. "Wow.. Broadbent? I'm jealous."

Angela looked to her husband, and then smiled. "You know, guests are allowed to bring one guest of their own. I'm bringing Furio, but I'm sure Gigi would be delighted to bring you along, Eloisa." Nicoletta choked on her food, and heard Claudio's fork drop onto his plate beside her. They looked to each other. _What?! _But before neither could comment, Angela shot them both a withering glare. Furio chuckled nervously. "Angela... don't make assertions for him."

They watched as Gigi carefully chewed the last morsel of his dessert, and then wiped his lips with a napkin. "If you'd like to come, you are welcome to."

Eloisa's eyes widened with happy surprise. Then, she hesitated. "A-are you sure you want to invite _me _rather than someone else more... capable of enjoying the wines there?" She bit her lip in embarrassment, and wished that her glass of orange juice hadn't been sitting so prominently on the table.

Gigi nodded. "I was going to ask you even if Angela hadn't said anything." A brilliant pink blossomed over her cheeks at those words. "O-oh. Okay."

Nicoletta shook her head in disbelief. "Hey... Claudio..." She whispered. "Do you think they know it?"

He looked at her fondly. "What is it?" The party was over and after saying their goodbyes, they'd walked out into the chilly night air, side by side. While he waited for her to explain, Claudio watched her, noticing not for the first time how beautiful she seemed in the moonlight.

"Do you think they know they're falling in love?" She looked at him, eyes shining with wonder. Claudio felt his heart squeeze, and in a moment of impulsiveness, he leaned in and kissed her gently. Nicoletta felt her breath catch, and as quickly as it had started, he'd already pulled away. "Perhaps." He whispered, and smiled. Nicoletta felt tears well in her eyes. She'd waited so long for this. _Their first kiss_...it was perfect.


End file.
